Local News

FDNY Gets New Commissioner

A retired New York City firefighter will be named Commissioner of the FDNY by Mayor Bill de Blasio today.

Daniel Nigro led rescue operations on September 11th, after the chief of department was killed in the terrorist attack. Nigro remained with the FDNY for another year, before retiring in September 2002. He spent more than 30 years with the department.

The 65 year old Nigro won praise from Al Hagan, the president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association.

"He was an unbelievable firefighter," Hagan told the New York Times. "He was as cool as could possibly be under the most difficult combat conditions. He was the kind of leader that not only people in his company looked to, but other people looked to."

Hagan will replace Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano, who was appointed by Mayor Bloomberg in 2009. Cassano has remained on the job on an interim basis during the first months of the de Blasio administration.

An official announcement is scheduled for this afternoon on Randall's Island.